Lee Health announces addition of orthopedic robots to robotics program

Since the creation of Lee Health’s robotics program last year, the health care system has more than tripled its number of daVinci robots, has added a specialty neurosurgery robot and now, is announcing the addition of two robots for orthopedic procedures.

The Zimmer Biomet’s ROSA Hip and Knee System – located at both Cape Coral Hospital and Lee Memorial Hospital – is a robotically-assisted surgical system designed to help perform total knee and hip replacement surgery. It includes features to assist with bone resections and assessing the state of soft tissues in order to facilitate implant positioning intraoperatively.

The ROSA robot system enables surgeons to use computer and software technology to control and move surgical instruments, allowing for greater precision and flexibility during procedures. The procedure is performed entirely by a surgeon who controls the system.

Because the procedure is minimally-invasive, patients generally experience less pain after surgery, have a quicker recovery and shorter length of stay in the hospital, and need less medication.

The addition of the two ROSA orthopedic robots compliments Lee Health’s robust robotics program, which is comprised of the ExcelsiusGPS, a first of its kind robotic surgery in Southwest Florida for minimally-invasive spine and brain procedures, and seven da Vinci Xi Surgical Systems, which are designed to help surgeons perform minimally-invasive surgeries, such as colorectal surgeries and unique surgeries in the areas of gynecology, urology, ear nose and throat and general surgery.

To learn more about Lee Health’s robotics program, visit www.leehealth.org.

Lee Health invites community to join Healthcare Insights Panel

Community members are invited to help Lee Health make health care even better for the Southwest Florida region.

Anyone 18 years old and older is eligible to join Lee Health’s Healthcare Insights Panel, which gives participants an opportunity to provide input on topics through occasional surveys or interviews. If you choose to participate, you may be asked to:

• Provide feedback about your experiences and health care needs;

• Help evaluate existing programs and patient or staff materials;

• Share your input on new Lee Health services, programs; or

• Offer insight into planning for new facilities.

If you decide to be a member of the Healthcare Insights Panel, you can expect to receive invitations to participate in online surveys about Lee Health every month or two. Your responses are confidential and will not be connected with your name or other identifying information.

The panel is managed by an expert, third-party research firm called Market Street Research. To learn more about this opportunity, go to www.LeeHealth.org and look for the blue “Healthcare Insights Panel” banner toward the middle of the website’s homepage.

Lee Health’s Kistel wins national award for Healthcare Design leadership

Recognized nationally for his work as an industry leader, Dave Kistel, vice president and chief facilities executive for Lee Health, has been named a winner of Healthcare Design magazine’s 2022 HCD 10 award.

The prestigious award recognizes professionals from across the country in 10 categories, focusing on their work on projects and contributions to improvements in healthcare design. Kistel won the award in the owner category, which reflects his leadership of several projects at Lee Health.

According to Healthcare Design, “The mission of The HCD 10 is to recognize and celebrate the broad spectrum of outstanding professionals in our industry and the influence they have on healthcare design.”

In his role at Lee Health, Kistel is responsible for the integrated facilities and support service operations for all of the health care system’s hospitals and outpatient and physician office sites, along with other crucial locations.

Kistel has been with Lee Health for more than 35 years and, during his time with the health care system, has led several key projects, including the plans and construction of Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida and Lee Health Coconut Point; the major expansion at Gulf Coast Medical Center; Cape Coral Hospital’s west and north wing tower additions, family birth center and wellness center; HealthPark Medical Center’s vertical patient tower expansion, operating room expansions, cardiovascular expansion, and emergency department expansion; an extensive number of refurbishment projects within Lee Health’s existing buildings to support clinical modernization and technology advancements for patients, staff and physicians; and the new Fort Myers hospital campus that Lee Health will build on Challenger Blvd.